Cochin Shipyard blazes trail with pioneering hydrogen and ammonia-powered ships

India’s largest commercial shipbuilder Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) Kochi is forging ahead with ambitious plans that will see construction of vessels powered by alternative energy sources.

The shipyard is working on multiple projects at the moment that will see inland, coastal and short-sea vessels powered by hydrogen fuel cells and ammonia.

Namely, CSL is pushing forward with the development of the first hydrogen fuel-cell ferry in India. The 100-passenger vessel is being developed as a Fully Indigenised Homegrown Technology project. The ferry will be powered by two 25 kWh H2 fuel cells, developed by a global software integration major to the automotive industry KPIT. The company is of Indian origin.

The fuel cells have already been used to power buses and cars in pilot projects in India.

The vessel will also have a 6 kWh solar plant on board, and is scheduled for completion by the middle of 2023.

“The fuel cells are already in the works, and we expect to launch the vessel by the middle of next year. The Cochin Shipyard will operate the ferry for two years,” Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of CSL, said during a recently held IMO-UNEP Norway Innovation Forum.

The pilot project is being developed in cooperation with the Indian Classification Society, KPIT and a network of 37 national laboratories under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

It builds upon the experience gathered in the construction of battery-powered metro boats for the Kochi Metro. CSL is building a total of 23 boats for the Kochi Water Metro project.

As explained by Nair, India has a big national hydrogen mission in the making with $3 billion earmarked for hydrogen development projects. In line with that, the country believes that it can be a significant producer of ammonia in the future.

Specifically, under its National Hydrogen Energy Mission, India will draw a roadmap for using hydrogen as an energy source in the short-term and long-term. The move aims to enable India to meet its Paris climate goals and become a green hydrogen hub, reducing its dependency on fossil fuel imports.

As part of the strategy, the government of India has proposed setting up manufacturing zones for green hydrogen and green ammonia as well as the establishment of bunkering infrastructure in ports for storage, export, and use by shipping.

As a result, CSL is also working on a proposal that would see vessels powered by ammonia deployed in India’s manufacturing and transport sectors.

The development proposal includes two types of vessels: an 8,000 dwt coastal bulker vessel (engine 2x 1,200 kW) and a coastal tug boat with a 70t bollard pull power (2 X 1,500kW).

“At the moment we don’t have engines running on ammonia, but we are talking with Wärtsilä and MAN on potential cooperation,” Nair added.

The bulk carriers of this size have already been built and delivered to local steel production partners by CSL, and the shipyard is looking to partner up with their clients to bring ammonia on these types of bulkers. The yard is also working with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) on bringing two ammonia-powered tugs to the port.

The expected completion of the project is planned for 2027.

The shipbuilder has benefitted significantly from cooperation with global partners in developing the necessary know-how and building its capabilities in the construction of complex and innovative vessels.

One of the most recent examples saw the delivery of the world’s first fully autonomous, zero-emission ships to Norwegian partner ASKO.

The two vessels were named MS Marit and MS Therese in the Port of Moss, Norway mid September.

The project is a result of a partnership between CSL, Massterly, Konsgberg, DNV, ASKO and Naval Dynamics Norway. The funding was provided by Enova S, a Norwegian state enterprise owned by the Ministry of Climate and Environment, tasked to promote a shift toward the consumption of greener energy.

To remind, the electric ferries were designed by Naval Dynamics Norway using Kongsberg Maritime systems and built by India Cochin Shipyard Limited. They are powered by 1846 kWh capacity batteries and built under DNV GL Classification.

“CSL has been working with the Norwegian side for the last 20 years. Significant projects have been delivered in Europe and into the Norwegian cluster,” Nair said.

As disclosed there are several green vessel projects under the final stages of discussion with European owners.

These include a short-sea zero-emission container vessel featuring a hydrogen hybrid propulsion system, wind-farm maintenance vessels powered by methanol, and an Ecoflex 5KLR coastal bulker featuring a hydrogen hybrid propulsion system.

According to CSL’s Chairman, neither of these contracts has been signed yet, however, the talks are in the final stages.

“The key in the transition for countries like India and shipyards like ours is teaming up with global partners. No single company or country will be able to move forward on its own. We need to learn from the best practices.”